These guidelines follow the general framework outlined in the UNHCR Policy on Refugee Women, adopted by the forty-first Session of the Executive Committee. The underlying principle of the Policy is to integrate the resources and needs of refugee women into all aspects of programming to ensure equitable protection and assistance activities. The guidelines also recognize that special efforts may be needed to resolve problems faced specifically by refugee women.
This revised and updated Handbook provides useful guidance as our Office continues to cope with the swift and increasingly dangerous nature of fresh displacement. It stresses the importance of pre-emergency planning, as well as planning throughout every stage of a crisis. It focuses on setting coordination priorities, as well as contingency and operational planning. Important information has also been included regarding staff safety and working with military personnel, as well as a section addressing the issue of how to cope with personal stress.
As a reference tool which serves to reinforce a common understanding among the many key actors in emergency situations, the third edition of UNHCR's Emergency Handbook reflects the latest developments in humanitarian action and UNHCR's emergency response.
This version includes a number of important revisions based on valuable inputs from the nongovernmental organizations and other partners who are an integral part of our standby capacity. Updates include an emphasis on security awareness as an integral part of daily life and work in operations, along with important information on UNHCR and the military; a new chapter on combating HIV/AIDS in refugee situations; and how to prevent and respond to sexual and gender- based violence in emergencies. The revised Handbook underscores the need to understand, from the very outset of an emergency, the protection risks facing different members of a community and describes how to conduct participatory assessments with women, girls, boys and men to ensure adequate assistance and protection for all.
